Eye experts reveal 9 things you should never do

Eye health is easily neglected by many people – at least until a problem arises.

Poor vision, infections, injuries, and other eye problems are quite common, especially as we get older. And while there are many treatments and even surgeries to correct our eye problems, it would be nice to avoid this point.

The good news is that there are many ways to prevent infections and damage and thus maintain the health of our eyes as we age.

HuffPost asked eye doctors to share what they never do for the sake of their eye health. Read on to learn more about the behaviors they avoid.

“I never sleep with my contact lenses in unless the lenses are FDA approved for extended wear because of the risk of painful eye infections and corneal damage,” said Dr. William McLaughlin, an ophthalmologist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Sometimes contact lens wearers are exhausted or have had too much to drink and pass out before they can take their lenses out. Or they have to take a nap or doze off on an airplane. But it’s really important that you remember to take your contact lenses out in these situations.

“When you sleep with contact lenses in, microbes and bacteria from the contact lens can multiply overnight,” says Dr. Ella Faktorovich, ophthalmologist and founder of the Pacific Vision Institute. “This can lead to further complications, such as a corneal ulcer, which can be vision-threatening and require a corneal transplant.”

“When people look too closely at a phone, laptop or book for long periods of time, it can increase the risk of nearsightedness in young people and cause eyestrain in people of all ages,” Faktorovich said. “Nearsightedness typically develops in childhood and then worsens until the late teens.”

She recommends following the “20-20-20 rule” to prevent and relieve digital eye strain. The method involves taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away. Relieving your eye strain can improve your overall eye health as you age.

“As people age, they become presbyopic, which may require procedures such as monovision LASIK or PRK, in which one eye is corrected for distance vision while the other remains slightly nearsighted or uncorrected,” Faktorovich added. “Other procedures to treat presbyopia may include lens replacement surgery.”

“I never forget to have my eyes checked at least every year to year and a half,” McLaughlin said.

If you have a condition that compromises the health of your eyes, it is especially important that you keep your regular appointments, including your dilated eye exam.

“People with diabetes are at increased risk of developing retinopathy,” notes Dr. Barbara Mihalik, an optometrist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “This starts with a hemorrhage in the retina and can progress to swelling of the retina, cataracts, glaucoma and the development of new leaky blood vessels that can cause sudden loss of vision and lead to retinal detachment, which in turn can lead to permanent loss of vision. Often, those affected do not have any vision problems, so it is important to have pupil dilation done at least once a year to monitor this, as there are treatments to prevent this vision loss.”

“I would never ignore a sudden burst of floaters – spots in the field of vision – and flashing lights, especially if accompanied by a curtain obstructing the field of vision,” Mihalik said. “All of these can be warning signs of a tear, break or hole in the retina, which can lead to retinal detachment.”

If detected early, this problem can be treated before retinal detachment occurs, she added.

“If the retina does detach, surgical treatment is required. The vision that can be restored depends on how severe and how long the retina was detached,” Mihalik explained. “If you ever experience new floating particles and flashes, call your eye doctor immediately.”

“Inadequate lubrication of the eyes is a commonly overlooked part of symptomatic eye problems, especially in people who use contact lenses or makeup,” said Avnish Deobhakta, MD, an ophthalmologist at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. “One big change that occurs as we age is that we no longer produce adequate tear quality – this is especially problematic for people who wear contact lenses, which are placed directly on the surface of the cornea, or certain types of makeup on the eyelids, which often interfere with tear production.”

He pointed out that the cornea needs constant moisture to function properly, and that both the aging process and the use of contact lenses and makeup can affect the body’s natural ability to absorb moisture. He advised makeup wearers not only to avoid wearing contact lenses while sleeping, but also to wash them thoroughly before going to bed. Failure to remove your makeup can lead to eye infections and negatively affect the eyes’ ability to absorb moisture.

“One way to deal with (hypohydration) is to routinely use artificial tears without preservatives,” Avnish added. “These artificial tears are made with substances that moisturize the surface of the eye. But importantly, they do not contain preservatives, which can sometimes cause side effects. We often recommend using them three to four times a day.”

“You should never look directly at the sun,” said Faktorovich. “Earlier this year, we experienced a solar eclipse that tempted many people to look at the sun through regular sunglasses or homemade sunglasses, which can be extremely damaging to the eyes. Staring directly at the sun for even a short period of time without proper eye protection can cause permanent damage to the retina, the layer of tissue at the back of the eye that converts light into electrical signals for the brain.”

In the event of a solar eclipse, it recommends using appropriate protective goggles to avoid retinal burns and other serious eye damage.

“Smoking and vaping are some of the worst things you can do for your general health, especially for your eyes,” said Deobhakta. “There are very serious diseases that destroy parts of the eye that are irreplaceable, such as the retina, and they are much more common in smokers.”

He pointed out that smoking is also associated with an increased rate of cataracts, which cause clouding of the lens and often require surgery to remove.

“In addition, the vapors themselves can damage the surface of the eye, causing corneal abrasions and extremely painful dry eyes that often require lifelong treatment,” Deobhakta said. “In other words, avoid smoking and vaping if you want to have healthy eyes for life.”

Mihalik explained that she would never use tap water to rinse contact lenses.

“There is a high risk of developing microbial keratitis, also called corneal ulcer, which can lead to permanent blindness and, in some cases, corneal transplant,” she noted. “Instead, always rinse and store your contact lenses in a contact lens solution, change your case regularly, and replace lenses as directed by your eye doctor.”

In addition to improper storage and lubrication of your contact lenses, using the same pair for longer than recommended periods of time can also lead to eye health problems.

“I never forget to dispose of my contact lenses within the prescribed time,” McLaughlin said.

“A diet high in sugar and fat is of course unhealthy, but it also has a disproportionately negative impact on the eyes,” said Deobhakta. “Certain diseases such as diabetes are responsible for the most common forms of irreversible blindness we see in our clinics, and this is often linked to an unbalanced diet high in carbohydrates and fat.”

He pointed out that people with uncontrolled high blood pressure are at higher risk of eye infarction.

“However, there is good news: a balanced diet (with exercise) not only helps other parts of the body, but also drastically reduces the likelihood of these types of diseases occurring,” said Deobhakta. “So our advice is: eat a Mediterranean diet, low in sugar and fat, and do something you enjoy, like running, cycling or walking.”